Posted on March 20, 2025
The upcoming North Pacific Fishery Management Council meeting is March 31-April 7, 2025. It will be virtual-only on Zoom and streamed live on YouTube. The agenda has been updated, and written comments are due on Friday, March 28th, at 12:00 p.m. AST. You can find all the details of the April meeting here.
Alaska Marine Conservation Council will focus on meaningful development of the Programmatic Evaluation and protecting Gulf of Alaska Tanner crabs off the East Side of Kodiak Island. This blog post explains more about each issue and why they are important.
Agenda Item C4: Programmatic Evaluation Discussion Document
The NPFMC will discuss the Programmatic Evaluation, which involves revising management policies, goals, and objectives for federal fisheries under the Magnuson-Stevens Act and the Northern Pacific Halibut Act in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA), Bering Sea, and the Aleutian Islands (BSAI). The aim is to update the NPFMC’s ecosystem-based management policies to address current and future challenges, including impacts from climate change.
The NPFMC will consider two alternatives: maintaining the current ecosystem-based management approach (status quo) or adopting a more adaptive approach (Alternative 2). Alternative 2 includes tools for climate resilience, incorporating Indigenous and traditional knowledge, and addressing risks from uncertain stock distribution due to climate change.
The discussion provides a significant opportunity to shape guidance policy that includes climate science, local and traditional knowledge, and recognition of Alaska Tribes and communities that rely on subsistence resources.
Agenda Item D-2: Gulf of Alaska Tanner Crab Protections
AMCC and Tanner crab fishermen will continue to advocate for protecting Tanner crab habitat from the impacts of federally managed groundfish fisheries and encourage others to join us in submitting comments and providing testimony. Learn more here.
In February 2024, the Council reviewed a discussion paper on measures to protect GOA Tanner crab (Chionoecetes bairdi). Following this, the Council requested an expanded discussion paper, which now includes the following updates:
Identification of areas with the highest Tanner crab abundance in statistical areas 525702 and 525630, considering smaller closure zones in Barnabas Gully.
Potential modifications to existing closures near Kodiak Island to assess broader impacts on the groundfish fleet.
Distribution and annual abundance trends of Tanner crab in the Kodiak District from 2012 to 2023 in specific statistical areas.
Updated data tables on groundfish harvests by gear type (trawl and pot gear) and Tanner crab prohibited species catch (PSC) for 2012–2023, including separate data for catcher vessels and processors when confidentiality allows.
Economic value of groundfish and Tanner crab fisheries in key statistical areas and the broader Central Gulf of Alaska region.
Analysis of monthly fishery landings and timing impact on Kodiak's processing capacity.
Additionally, the paper provides expanded information on Tanner crab biology, including molting and mating behaviors, and detailed descriptions of existing closures near Kodiak.
Reminder! AMCC prepared a new guidebook for interacting with the Council, the importance of community engagement and tips on effectively participating in its activities. This is meant to contribute to our community and enhance our collective ability to engage in and influence the Council process - review it here!
Photo Courtesy of Alaska Seafood
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